June 29, 2014

Update from Rob Minnes

I’ve some additional info regarding this studio model.

Actually, it isn’t a Phase II model, but already the Motion Picture model. Since the production history of TMP is so muddied and mired in lore, the mistake is very much understandable. It has taken me quite some time to piece together a timeline, garnering info from a myriad of publications, so here goes:

Early September 1977: Magicam is contracted to do all the visual effects for the television project “Star Trek: Phase II”, including the build of the studio models, construction on which is started ommediately (The Enterprise model subcontracted to Brick Price Movie Miniatures – you have a page here: https://www.modelermagic.com/?p=2851 -) The D7 model is subcontracted to Greg Jein who build a 3...

Not many quality photos exist of this model that I am aware of. And most are in black and white. Still, here is an accumulation of what is out there of this model as seen in Star Trek The Motion Picture. From the notations of writer Robb Minnes, pictured is artist Zuzana Swansea, the only woman employed at Magicam at the time. She was a Czech refugee from the 1968 Prague Spring uprising and was slated to do the Motion Picture Enterprise model paint job. Yet she lacked the skills to apply it, so air-brush painter Paul Olsen was brought in. Thank you Rob for your notations.